Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Meat Shield (2)
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“What is it?”
“It seems like something from a high-rank Awakener... Could you share just a bit of your secret technique?”
“Secret technique?”
“Yeah. Cases where someone jumps straight to 4th Grade or higher are super rare, right?”
Kim Minsoo scratched his cheek with an awkward smile.
High-rank Awakeners shared methods for improving physical abilities or skills.
Of course, those methods didn’t always work for everyone, but there were cases where they did.
The problem was that to get those methods, you needed connections or to enroll in an Awakener academy.
“I’m not in a position to attend an Awakener academy. They’re way too expensive.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Of course, I’m not asking you to teach me for free. Once I get used to meat shield work and start earning properly... I could give you a little each month!”
Even he thought it was a vague and absurd promise.
Snapping back to reality, Kim Minsoo bowed his head in embarrassment.
“Sorry. Just forget what I said.”
“What’s this ‘meat shield work’?”
“Huh?”
Kim Minsoo looked puzzled.
“You don’t know what a meat shield is?”
“No.”
“It’s tanker work. You know, the tankers who don’t have skills and just tank with their bodies and stamina.”
Tanker.
It was a word he’d heard from Kim Chanwon at the bathhouse before.
He’d even watched an Awakener with that skill fighting another Awakener for a bit.
“The one who takes hits up front to maintain formation and tactics.”
“Yeah, yeah. When hunting monsters, it’s the position that blocks attacks in the front with energy fields or shield skills. A meat shield is standing there with an actual shield instead of skills.”
The more he explained, the more embarrassed he felt.
Kim Minsoo avoided the Heavenly Demon’s gaze and lowered his head.
“But I keep getting bounced back while holding the shield.”
“Bounced back?”
“Yeah. I guess because my build is on the small side.”
The Heavenly Demon, looking down at Kim Minsoo, furrowed his brow deeply.
“What a pathetic conclusion.”
“Huh?”
“Getting bounced back because of your small build.”
The Heavenly Demon looked down at Kim Minsoo with contempt in his eyes.
“Isn’t that right? Then what’s making me bounce back? Even weaker old guys held up fine.”
“Why ask me that?”
The Heavenly Demon snorted, and Kim Minsoo bit his lip.
Of course, no one would just hand over secret techniques. But why did every high-rank Awakener mock him the same way whenever he asked?
Did high-rank Awakeners have a pact to laugh at anyone who asked?
“If you don’t want to tell me, then don’t.”
Anger and frustration boiling over, Kim Minsoo clenched his fists and spoke.
“You think anyone wants to be born this weak? Even using all my strength, I get bounced back—what am I supposed to do?”
Kim Minsoo yelled again, fists tightly clenched.
“Try harder? I’ve tried to the point of death. But no matter how much I lift weights every day, my strength doesn’t increase, my build doesn’t grow—what can I...”
Kim Minsoo’s tongue froze as he raised his head.
The Heavenly Demon was reaching out with both hands, stroking Kim Minsoo’s neck and shoulders.
It felt like the prelude to a demon king of hell smashing the chipped bowl of a frightened puppy.
“You’ve tried to the point of death...”
The low, thick voice drilling into his ears made Kim Minsoo dizzy.
*You tried to the point of death, so I’ll kill you now.*
That’s what it seemed like would come next.
“S-Sorry...”
Finally regaining his senses, Kim Minsoo stammered.
“I didn’t sleep last night and was talking nonsense...”
“So you were enduring the injury.”
“Huh?”
“All four strands of muscle in your shoulder are torn.”
The Heavenly Demon, looking at Kim Minsoo’s shoulder, chuckled.
“You’ve desperately searched for a way, in your own manner.”
He didn’t understand.
Blinking in confusion, Kim Minsoo watched the Heavenly Demon nod as he approached.
“Good. I’ll teach you how to hold a shield without getting bounced back.”
The Heavenly Demon was in high spirits for once.
He’d thought everyone in this world just swung powerful forces to smash monsters.
This was the first human he’d seen diligently training his body and seeking the essence of martial arts.
“R-Really? Thank you!”
As Kim Minsoo bowed, the Heavenly Demon said something odd.
“But it’s not effort to the point of death, so I’ll teach you only half.”
“Half?”
“Yes. If you’d lied about not trying, I would’ve pulled out all your teeth.”
The Heavenly Demon’s eyes blazed with Blood Flame Radiance, filled with dignity.
Realizing it wasn’t a bluff, Kim Minsoo felt a chill down his spine.
*What kind of violent guy is this?*
Swallowing hard amid his inner bewilderment, Kim Minsoo heard the Heavenly Demon ask.
“I’ll ask one thing. Is all a shield can do blocking the enemy’s attacks?”
“Huh?”
“Think and answer. What can you do with a shield?”
Something besides blocking?
Did he mean smashing monsters with the shield?
“I don’t know.”
As Kim Minsoo shook his head, the Heavenly Demon picked up a training tire from the corner with one hand.
“Perfect, something good is here.”
The Heavenly Demon hooked the training tire on his right arm and spun it around.
“Spin this for two shichen (four hours) a day, for at least a month.”
“A month?”
“No, you don’t seem particularly talented, so do it for two months straight.”
“Spinning the tire like that... will work?”
“You can split it morning and evening. But fill the exact time.”
Thud.
Without hesitation, the Heavenly Demon set the tire down and slowly walked toward the exit.
But Kim Minsoo just clutched his head in confusion, utterly lost.
“Hmm.”
Glancing back, the Heavenly Demon paused for a moment.
Remembering there were no proper martial artists here, and everyone had to learn and train alone.
“True enlightenment blooms in the heat of mortal combat.”
“Huh?”
“Practice alone won’t awaken the secrets.”
Just before exiting, the Heavenly Demon said in a low voice.
“If you can fight with your life on the line... you might find the answer.”
It was something that seemed understandable yet not.
Kim Minsoo stared blankly at the door where the Heavenly Demon had vanished.
“Bwahahahaha!”
Laughter exploded.
Every time Kim Minsoo spun the tire in the physical training room, the exercising middle-aged Awakener uncles rolled on the floor clutching their stomachs.
“Minsoo, did being 9th Grade make you give up on life?”
*We’re both 9th Grade Awakeners, don’t say that.*
“Minsoo, do a few more bench presses instead.”
*You never miss calling my name.*
“Minsoo, if that’s what you call exercise, come do porter work with me.”
*Uncle, don’t call yourself ‘hyung’. You’re over forty.*
Aah, even retorting in his mind was tiring.
Exhausted by the laughter from all around, Kim Minsoo finally set the tire down and went to the office.
“Director, can I take the tire from the training room home? It’s not being used anyway, right?”
At that, the Awakener Labor Office director, sitting at his desk, burst into laughter.
“Why? Gonna spin it at home too?”
“No... yeah.”
“Sure, take it. Return it when you’re done.”
“Thanks.”
“Minsoo.”
The director, looking at the logbook on his desk, lifted his head with a serious expression.
“Don’t watch weird training videos on the internet. They’re all fake.”
“Huh?”
“Puhahaha.”
Unable to hold back his laughter, the director smirked.
“Nah, you’ll figure it out after a few days.”
Damn.
No wonder the stingy director agreed so readily—he thought it was a stupid training method and that he’d fallen for it.
*I half think I got duped too.*
Sighing as he carried the tire home, Kim Minsoo muttered.
“Should I just quit?”
Spinning the tire morning and evening didn’t build muscle or improve stamina. It just felt like his life was spinning into chaos too.
“Damn it.”
Kim Minsoo threw the tire to the ground.
He’d tried everything to bulk up and gain strength.
Two hours a day lifting weights at the training room, never driving—always running.
He’d even diligently followed training routines from Awakeners on the Theobroma video platform.
But nothing worked.
“Nah. Even if I don’t do this, there’s nothing else anyway.”
Recalling the Heavenly Demon’s red eyes, Kim Minsoo shook his head.
“Didn’t seem like he was lying.”
Doing meat shield work, he’d seen countless high-rank Awakeners.
But none had eyes as resolute as the Heavenly Demon’s.
“Damn, if this doesn’t work, I’m really quitting.”
Picking up the tire again, Kim Minsoo gritted his teeth.
* * *
“‘Klum’ wants meat shields?”
Two weeks later, in the office, Kim Minsoo’s eyes widened at the director’s words.
Team Klum.
A team made of gold spoon Awakeners.
Some were kids of famous celebrities, so they’d been on various broadcasts.
“Why is Klum suddenly using meat shield tactics?”
At Kim Minsoo’s question, the director chuckled.
“They’re hunting the boss monster of the A-Rank super large dungeon in the northwest, ‘Haunted House’—Skeleton Duke.”
“Skeleton Duke... that bone duke?”
“Yeah.”
Skeleton Duke, aka Bone Duke.
Hazard level 5,000, but it summons hundreds of skeletons as escorts, turning it into a hazard 20,000 high-risk monster in seconds.
For one reason.
Skeletons under the Skeleton Duke become immortal until it dies.
“But why hunt that?”
Kim Minsoo looked baffled.
Skeleton Duke is a ruin-attribute with extremely low relic drop rates. In short, tons of effort for basically nothing.
“Since they can’t make a name with skill, they’re going for fame with a weird monster, I guess.”
The director smirked.
“Its base hazard is 5,000 anyway. They think if they block the skeleton horde, they can somehow take it down.”
“So, hire a ton of tankers to hold the skeletons, while they go for the Skeleton Duke in the back.”
“Yeah. Kill that one, and the skeleton horde crumbles like chopsticks.”
A unique tactic maximizing meat shield advantages.
The director stared at Kim Minsoo.
“So, what’ll you do? Wanna go?”
“...Is it okay?”
Rubbing his chin and staring into space, the director hummed.
“Honestly, not something I’d recommend.”
Smacking his lips, the director sighed.
“But Minsoo, don’t you need a chunk of cash for your sister’s college this time?”
“They’re paying a lot?”
“A lot? Klum set daily pay at 5 million won per tanker.”
“5 million won?”
Unlike regular tanker positions, meat shields with mass tankers get 500k-600k daily, max 1 million on a good day.
They stand up front with shields, but fall back once combat starts.
“No need to get too excited.”
The director said seriously.
“Even top teams avoid that bone duke because of the annoying skeleton horde. The huge pay includes hazard bonus.”
“It’ll be fine, right?”
Suppressing rising unease, Kim Minsoo forced a smile.
“Well, if they can’t kill it, they retreat. Meat shield is always the safe bet.”
“Maybe, but... Anyway, think it over. I’m not keen on it.”
“When do I need to decide?”
“Hmm. Word’s spreading, even tankers from other regions are coming. At least by tomorrow.”
No need to think.
Without relics, chances to make big money at once are rare. Hold up well here, and he could cover his sister’s tuition in one go.
“I’ll do it.”
* * *
Large Shield Aegis.
Grand name, who knows who named it.
Said to be made from gargoyle bones common in C-Rank dungeon ‘Sacheon Province’.
Gargoyle bones soften with heat, harden tougher than steel when cooled—that property used.
Folds to 50cm, unfolds to 170cm tall large shield—Aegis.
Shock absorbers are cheap, but affordable, called the national shield for low-rank Awakeners with thin wallets.
“Hey, Minsoo. You brought that again?”
Middle-aged Kim The Heavenly Demon-sik from the same labor office sighed at Kim Minsoo.
“Why not rent a good shield? That’s why you keep bouncing back.”
“No, I tried good rentals—same bounce.”
Kim Minsoo grinned sheepishly, and Kim The Heavenly Demon-sik smiled bitterly.
“Kid. Yeah, you spend a ton raising your siblings.”
Knowing his situation well, Kim The Heavenly Demon-sik nodded.
“Stick right by me today. Got it?”
“Yes, thanks.”
“No need to overdo it. Meat shields don’t fail if one or two drop out.”
Kim The Heavenly Demon-sik smiled faintly, surveying the inside of the super large A-Rank dungeon, Haunted House.
“Man, it’s filthy huge. The ‘super large’ ain’t for show.”
“Yeah.”
A vast wasteland stretched before them.
Far off, a massive castle, and beside it a large cemetery.
That distant castle was the dungeon core, where Skeleton Duke appears.
“Alright, listen up!”
As the tankers for hire formed ranks, the man at the front turned and shouted.
“The Skeleton Duke will come out leading an army from that castle!”
Nano suit customized with medieval armor, clean features but shady eyes.
Jang Jaehwan, Klum’s leader.
“Don’t flinch, just steadily block the skeleton horde with your shields! We’ll handle the rest.”
Among the meat shield supporters were many elders, yet he used banmal throughout.
“No worries. Even 9th Grades won’t budge against skeleton trash.”
Kim The Heavenly Demon-sik yelled, met with laughter from all sides.
“Don’t worry, just grab the bone duke well!”
“Faster the better!”
“Heh heh.”
Jang Jaehwan smirked widely.
“If we kill it in 10 minutes, 5 million plus 2 million bonus!”
-Woooah!
The shield-bearing Awakeners cheered instantly.
Gold spoons spend differently, sure.
Face and tone insufferably arrogant, but they paid solid.
Rumble rumble rumble.
As the meat shield brigade entered the castle with shields up, distant ground-shaking vibrations hit.
Screeech.
The massive castle gate opened,
Whoooosh.
A eerie gust blew from somewhere, revealing armed skeleton horde.
Behind them, a flashy-dressed bone spewed black mist, floating mid-air.
Glowing golden gauntlets, black boots, silver-and-red breastplate and pauldrons...
The boss of Haunted House dungeon—Skeleton Duke.
“It’s Skeleton Duke.”
At Kim The Heavenly Demon-sik’s low shout, Kim Minsoo gripped his shield tensely.
The floating Skeleton Duke overlooked them in blindingly ornate armor.
“The illustration in the guidebook looks different from that Skeleton Duke outfit?”
Kim Minsoo’s words made Kim The Heavenly Demon-sik frown.
“Yeah. First time seeing bone duke in such flashy clothes.”
-Kiiii.
Then, the overlooking Skeleton Duke slowly raised a bony finger.
-Grroooo.
With eerie groans, the skeleton horde charged with curved swords and shields.
“Alright, let’s get ready!”
At Uncle Kim The Heavenly Demon-sik’s shout, Kim Minsoo and the tankers switched shields to phalanx mode.
Clank.
Some used shield generation skills instead of plain shields.
But most meat shielders wore latest store-bought dungeon shields.
“Whew.”
Kim Minsoo, holding Aegis, exhaled tensely.
Just endure hiding behind the near-170cm Aegis—safe work.
But tension rose every monster encounter inevitably.
“Huh? W-What?”
Something felt off.